Polish air disaster

Poland's president, Lech Kaczyński, first lady Maria Kaczyńska, several MPs, Polish central bank governor, leading historians and senior members of the armed forces were among the victims of the plane crash in the early hours of Saturday the 10th of April 2010.

The delegation was travelling to Russia to attend a memorial service to mark the 70th anniversary of World War II massacre of 22,000 polish officers killed by the Soviet army in the Katyń forrest. 

The plane carrying 96 people including crew members, crashed while trying to land at the Smolensk airport near the site of the memorial service.

Controversially, a spur of the moment decision has been made by Polish state and church officials that Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria are to be buried in Kraków, at the Wawel castle historical burial site of Polish kings and queens and in modern times reserved for the most prominent statesmen. Many in Poland believe that this is the honour the late president does not fully deserve.

The president and his wife's funeral will be broadcast on big screens in Trafalgar Square in London. Thousands of Polish immigrants living in the capital are expected to take part.

Ryszard Kaczorowski, the last Polish president in exile, also died in the crash. He was 90 years old, and lived in London. He was a well known and well loved figure among Polish communities in Britain.

Among the crash victims was Father Bronisław Gostomski, the parish priest of St Andrzej Bobola Polish Catholic church in Shepherd's Bush in West London.

Jo Siedlecka of Independent Catholic News wrote an article about Fr Gostomski:

London's Polish Community mourns parish priest  

A week of national mourning was announced in Poland within hours of the tragedy. A week of remembrance services followed all over Poland.
The extent of intense national mourning and the need strongly felt by hundreds of thousands of Poles to take part in services, or to visit the presidential palace in Warsaw during the week following the crash has astounded not only outside observers but the Polish people as well.

Book of condolence can be signed at the Polish Embassy in Portland Place in London, W1.

A book of condolence has also been opened at Wandsworth Town Hall in the wake of last Saturday's Polish air disaster in which 96 people lost their lives.

Wandsworth has a long established Polish community which numbers several thousand residents.

The book is on display at Wandsworth Register Office at the Town Hall where it can be signed by local people.

The Register Office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm